THE 1990s heard dancehall music at its creative best. Just about every major label in the United States had a Jamaican artiste on their roster.

Bounty Killer was among the few major acts who were never signed by a ‘major’. Not that he needed their help.

In 1996, TVT Records and VP Records released My Xperience, the deejay’s seventh album and arguably his finest work. A typical ’90s set, its many songs were produced by a number of top producers including Sly and Robbie, Lloyd “King Jammy” James and Bobby Konders.

My Xperience contains hard-hitting numbers like Fed Up, The Lord Is My Light And My Salvation, Guns & Roses, Benz & Bimma, Mi Nature and the title track. “Killer” also served some radio-friendly treats, including Living Dangerously (with Barrington Levy) and Maniac (a collaboration with Richie Stephens), both of which were mainstream hits.

The era also saw a flurry of ‘combinations’ between dancehall and hip hop acts, and My Xperience features a handful of those. Change Like The Weather was done with Busta Rhymes and Junior Reid, while Hip-Hopera features The Fugees, the hottest name in pop music at the time.

In its review, the respected Allmusic.com described My Xperience as “an exhilarating listen”. Its broad appeal saw it selling over 100,000 units in the United States, earning the album a spot on Billboard Magazine’s Heatseekers chart.

If Many Moods of Moses by Beenie Man showed dancehall’s eclectic range, Bounty Killer and My Xperience represents the genre at its rugged best.